


Healing

by Graceless_Poet



Category: The Invisible Library - Genevieve Cogman
Genre: F/M, Fluff, kai needs constant attention, little to no angst, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-30 00:03:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19030675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Graceless_Poet/pseuds/Graceless_Poet
Summary: Set some time after The Masked City. May contain minor spoilers.When Irene and Kai return from Venice, they have to go separate ways. After finally being able to meet again, Kai doesn't want to be away from her even if it is for a minute. He is still traumatized by what happened to him on that cage, and Irene is willing to comfort him as much as he is to comfort her.





	Healing

**Author's Note:**

> This is a really small story, I just thought Kai needed some kind of support after all that happened to him. There is no smut. Just soft moments.

Irene was walking on London's poorly illuminated streets when she started to think about Kai again, despite her best attempts to avoid doing it. After he received whichever medical treatment a dragon would require after being exposed to a high-chaos world for too long, he was sent to his father's court. There were too many political implications involved, and Irene hoped it wouldn't be too much to expect them to be together again. She was doing probation missions in the meantime, with no news about him while at it. Careful not to raise her expectations too much, she at least told herself they would meet again. That was the only thought that could ease all other worries, even if just a little.

She tried to put these thoughts somewhere they wouldn't bother as she arrived at the lodgings she once used to share with Kai. They had had quite the amount of experiences in that place, she was painfully reminded as she reached the doorstep. Memories really do hit you like a train, wagon after wagon, don't they? She didn't know how long this train was, only did she know that it kept on pushing right through her. But she also didn't have much time to elaborate this metaphor either, for after entering the house, there was a noise from inside.

Her attention was now completely on the place before her, due to her very useful habit of always preparing for the worst case scenario. For a moment, a very tense moment, there was absolute silence. Then, footsteps from upstairs. The person was walking slowly, as if dragging their feet, and was most likely going to appear on the stair at the end of the corridor. Irene took cover behind a wall directly opposite said stairs and crouched. She waited until they had arrived at the corridor, and pried. The tall, slim and astonishingly handsome silhouette was unmistakable.

-Kai? - Her voice cracked, but she honestly couldn't care less

He opened his mouth, but Irene threw herself at him before he could say anything. He was taken aback at first, but since physical affection is SO rare from irene's side, he corresponded the hug just as passionately. They were both confused, shocked and hurt. But finally meeting each other again is like putting a band-aid over all the emotional bruises left open. It couldn't have been more than a month, and they sure enough could survive for more than that separated. But they certainly wouldn't enjoy it as much.  
Her arms tightened around his waist as tears blurred her vision, and she shut her eyes closed, trying to get in as much of him as possible. He positioned his arms on her back in a way that someone would have a hard time trying to separate them if they tried to. He heard her sigh, breath shaking, and hugged her even tighter. 

-Irene- He looked down at her and carefully put come locks of her hair behind her ear so that he could see her face more clearly - I'm sorry it took me so long. I would've sent you some kind of message if they had given me permission to do so, I swear, I just... - He didn't know precisely how to finish the phrase

When they locked their eyes, at such a close distance, it felt like they've never actually been apart. Irene slowly moved one of her arms to softly touch his face, just to be sure that he was there indeed, and it wasn't just her imagination. She let her fingers gently trace his cheek, coming from his ear and stopping millimeters before reaching his lips.

-You don't have a single reason to apologize, Kai. How are you? And what did they even say about us? 

-I think we'd better sit down and talk about it

Irene agreed and they both headed to the living room. Her clothes were burnt on some parts and she could do with a little rest, but she was waiting for this for too long. They spent what felt like some minutes, but was probably more than an hour, talking about what Kai's father had decided. Long story short, not much would change in their relationship. Acting like a Fae attempt of kidnap wasn't anything important would weaken their own image, and that was what the dragon kings wanted most.

Kai was clearly still recovering from what happened. His smile looked weaker even though he couldn't be happier, afraid of letting himself rest. He was constantly looking around, as if there were something hiding in the shadows, ready to jump at him. He had a caution on his speech, but every time he looked at Irene all his hesitations would seem to dissipate. 

-Above all, I'm relieved that you came back - Irene said, getting up to give Kai another hug, less emotional and more rational this time

-I'm relieved myself, even I didn't know if we'd be able to work together again - He said before also getting up to receive her hug

-Only being able to meet again would've already been like a miracle to me, honestly - Feeling each other's warmth was reassuring, and only after hearing this did Kai realize how far had her paranoia taken her again

-You have to stop this habit of punishing yourself with negative images

-I know - She allowed herself to smile while her face was buried in his chest

They agreed on simply resting for the day and going to the Library on the next morning. Irene really needed a bath, as she always did after most missions, and Kai... well, he absolutely didn't need any more political speeches, he had heard more of his fair share of those.

Irene headed directly to her bedroom after washing herself. She would have loved to have stayed under the hot water, but the fear of not finding Kai safe once she was finished was too much to simply ignore. She was getting rid of her scorched clothes with one hand and drying her hair with a towel when someone knocked on the door.

-Yes?

Kai poked his head, with a puzzled expression. They did use to live in the same place, but they rarely went to each other's rooms.

-Irene... Do you mind if I sleep here, only for tonight? - She seemed surprised at first, and he realized that he had to elaborate on the request before having an answer - I've been having nightmares. Ever since we got back from that world. I just don't want to sleep alone again - Especially when he had the opportunity not to

She didn't even need to ask to know there were no second intentions behind that. His eyes were more lonely and afraid than anything else, and she wouldn't be able to say no to him like. It was in some ways surprising just how easily he would've been able to manipulate her if he so desired, but he wouldn't consider doing that on his weirdest nightmares, and Irene knew. 

-It's alright Kai, you can stay with me. I'm simply not very certain if the bed is large enough - Though that probably was going to be more of an excuse to stay closer to her than a problem to him - Do you want to go to sleep already?

-If you are tired, then yes - His expression turned from troubled to relieved, and he entered the room

He offered to help her dry her hair. But she didn't actually have a choice, as he took the towel from her hands and started softly massaging her hair before she could do anything. He was being so delicate she would've slept in five minutes had she not been standing. He smelled of shampoo and appeared to have just taken a bath himself, probably only some minutes before her arrival. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, feeling fatigued on every inch of her body.  
But Kai's proximity was much more an overwhelming feeling than that. She could feel his hot breath against her neck, and the few drops of her wet hair that managed to slide along her back gave her chills. It was a sweet temptation, and it took some effort not to give in to it or fall asleep.

He finally finished and put the towel on top of a drawer. They decided to go to bed and lay down. Instead of awkwardness, they both felt a strange familiarity on the situation. They had never shared a bed before, but it didn't feel like their first time. They had grown so used to each other's company in so little time. So it didn't feel wrong for Irene when Kai embraced her and pulled her as close as possible to him, nor did it feel strange for him when she placed her hands on his hair and started caressing it. The wind was howling outside, yet they couldn't possibly be warmer.

Irene was tired, but she didn't want to fall asleep so soon. She wanted to enjoy every little moment she had with him like this. Neither of them knew when they would have the opportunity to cuddle again, free from immediate obligations or life-threatening situations. Those small moments were immeasurably precious.

Perhaps they could wait more than a day before returning to the Library.


End file.
